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Carlisle United hero Mark Beck: Goal was worst I've scored

Last updated at 12:27, Monday, 25 February 2013

Mark Beck today described his match-saving goal against MK Dons as the worst he’s ever scored – but the perfect response to a week of criticism.

Mark Beck

The big Carlisle United striker admitted he had been blasted by boss Greg Abbott for a poor display in the Cumberland Cup four days earlier. So the 19-year-old sub was not worried that his close-range leveller against the Dons was not a spectacular strike.

Beck said: “It doesn’t matter what they come off, as long as they go in. It’s probably the worst goal I’ve scored.

“You just have to judge where the ball’s going to bounce and know where to gamble.

“I was delighted to get the goal. The gaffer said I didn’t play well during the week and I just tried to put it right.

“On Tuesday, Eric [Kinder] said I hadn’t scored in a while. I thought, ‘actually, you’re right’. So I told him I was due.

“I was a bit down during the week but that’s what happens in football – it can change quickly, and now I’m sky-high.”

The 86th-minute effort was Beck’s fifth goal of the season and came just six minutes after he had replaced fellow frontman Rory Loy.

The goal salvaged a point for the 16th-placed Blues and extended a six-match unbeaten run at Brunton Park after a game in which possession had been bossed by the Dons.

And it was another day when United’s teenagers hauled the Cumbrians back into a game, with half-time sub Dave Symington making an impact with his wing play and the corner which led to Beck’s goal.

Beck added: “I’ve played with [Symington] for nearly three years now and I know he’s got a good cross.

“It just so happened that it dropped to me nicely and I was poaching at the back post. I just swung at it and as I was falling it went in.

“I’m delighted and if somebody had said at the start of the season that I’d have five goals with two months to go, I’d have said, ‘You’re joking’.

“I just want to try and keep scoring. The manager says he has faith in us and is trying to give us as much pitch-time as possible.

“We are inexperienced but every little helps. As a team it was massive to come away with a point. We talked about the home run and we have kept that going.

“We just need to repeat that second-half performance from the start against Walsall tomorrow. If we can do that I’m sure we’ll have no problems.”

Abbott said: “Mark wasn’t very good against Carlisle City but we put our arm around him to say it is all part of his development and learning curve. He was brilliant against MK Dons and he can hold his head high.”